Craws: The Busy Drapers

In the 1930s-50s, large cards of buttons often had paper or tape pasted over the stitching at the back. This was because these cards were often cut up into smaller portions for the customer, thus cutting through the stitching that kept the buttons in place. It seems a strange custom, but was apparently wide spread, with the small portions of the larger cards often turning up. No wonder that the marketing turned to smaller cards, and also to tubes of buttons allowing for sale for individual buttons.

On the back of one such portion of a large card, I noticed branded tape, something I haven’t noticed before.

In 1891 Craw Bros., & Creed took over a drapery business in Zeehan on the west coast of Tasmania. In June 1895 they opened a branch in Launceston. They were still advertising in 1954.

Daily Telegraph (Launceston), 21st February 1901 page 3.

Libraries Tasmania, 1942.

The Examiner (Launceston ), 15th March 1954 page 15.

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